Corpse groom
by TurboFerret
Summary: Muraki is dead, its good, right? There is nothing bad a corpse can do, right? Especially when Murakis corpse is missing, RIGHT?chapter 6 has Tsuzuki found the right person or is he being cheated?
1. A corpse

Hello there, dear readers. Perhaps you know works of Tim Burton, well, if you do, then youll understand my fascination. Anyway, this is a different way of writing that I try out now, all for you to enjoy, have fun.

PS: Greetings to Sueona, the alltime source of inspiration. (Thanks for the credit ;))

Have fun,

Morality

* * *

The doors of the morgue open.

Darkness obscures us for a moment, to give way to artificial light.

I can't believe this – my luck or rather the irony of the fate. Anyway, thank the Great Boss upstairs, it's all over. And I am happy, or that is what I want myself to think. Ok he was a psychotic bastard with a generous homicidal side and little to the none respect for other people, however I have started to miss him. Why? Because he did make the routine a bit more interesting, now that I recollect and am within a safe distance. Oh well, he was bound to die, and die he did. I and Hisoka were asked to identify the body and prove it's The man, because we, in fact, interacted with him the most, oh lucky us.

We got the message this morning, and, would you believe it, got all worried. At least I did, Hisoka was, well, Hisoka; it was the first time I saw him unsure of something. It seamed he still couldn't believe the man's dead, I thought it was some kind of a trick, some sick joke he usually played so well, however I doubt one could be such a good actor to spend a night locked in a dead-house freezer. The doors creek open, and a strange looking she-coroner leads us through the chilly corridors, with doorplates reading "Homicide", "Road kill", "Unidentified", "Mush". Interesting, indeed how orderly the place was kept I would really hate knowing what the door with the last emblem contained, even imagining any associations that included human bodies and mush made me sick to the stomach. This all lead me to believe forensic surgeons had a dark sense of humor. Speaking of our lovely host – a fragile-looking young lady in a white lab coat- she sure didn't belong here, at least by my quite conservative standards. Such girls belonged in a place that looked rather like a picture from Tolikens Lothlorien, rather than a place smelling faintly of disintegrating corpses and disinfectant.

I kept my gaze pinned at the far end of the corridor we were heading to. A light flickered there, leaving that part of the hallway in darkness from time to time. The electric buzzing of lights and cooling systems was annoying, nobody spoke, so I concentrated on other sounds.

Click, click, and click.

The heels of our shoes made the only sound, echoing through the sickeningly clean place. Sick, I felt this way; it reminded me of my death. I wonder if my body was also stored in such a place. I glanced at Hisoka, who looked even paler than the back of the lab coat we were following so obediently.

-"Soka, you ok?" He gave me a long stare that expressed the variety of unpleasant feelings he experienced. To make it clear, he was nauseated by the place, not the sight he was about to see, in fact, he was quite eager at least half of the road here, now his spirits seemed to dampen a bit, who would blame the kid? Luckily the dead had no emotions, hopefully. This idea bothered my mind for some time. Come to think of it, We both were dead too, but we experienced emotions. The idea of an emotional dead-body sent chills down my spine, or was it the room we've just entered?

The right wall seemed to be made of large, rectangular, metal file drawers. Each one had a number on them. We approached the one labeled 463.

The coroner slid the drawer open. What we saw first, was some 10 toes, sickly blue, stiff, cold appendages, a note with the same number -463, was attached to the big toe, then the rest of the sheet-covered body slid out of the darkness of the closet.

Nonchalantly the doctor went to the sheet-covered head and pulled the cloth away from the livid, placid features of the man. I gasped and took several steps back; the sight was startling, just like on the ship. Hisoka stood silent and said nothing; his curse had disappeared, so the man was sure to be dead. However I wasn't all that trusting; after the stunts magister demonicus had pulled before. For some reason he struck me as a hard to die person, alas, I was wrong as always.

-"So, is this your man?" I glanced at her, she was unfazed by the striking corpse, well, perhaps it was a good approach for the person who dealt with dead bodies on daily basis; it would turn into ashes sooner or later.

-"Yes, thank you for you assistance, it is the man." She cast us a long stare.

-"Well then." She started in a professional manner as if the description and the work she'd done before was no more than making a cup of tea." The man has died some 27 hours ago, the livor mortis haven't appeared yet, which is strange, next interesting thing is the cause of death. A middle aged, quite healthy man, a smoker, but his lungs weren't that far damaged to fail life support. Then there are these curious scars on his lower abdomen." She uncovered the upper part of the body, indicating at jagged stripes of scar tissue. A sinking feeling established in my gut, a corner of my conscience shouted at me _"You did it! You did it!"_ I shake myself, he got what he deserved. "However these scars are old and healed." I see lines of stitches. The tissue is sewn together in a horizontal line just below the solar plexus, and somewhat in the middle, the vertical line slashed across the abdomen, forming a semblance to the uppercase 'T'. The rough needlework that marred the pale chest resembles a casually sewn piece of cloth. But there was no clotted blood around it, as if these signs were inflicted after 'gulp' death.

-"What about these markings?" I point at the seams. The surgeon casts me a long stare.

-"These are the examination marks, that are usually sewn shut after the autopsy, you know, to burry the body decently?" I just got a sub textual message of how dimwitted I was. Well, sorry, I'm not spending my days, cramming through piles of human mush and trying to collect a set of corresponding toes.

-"I could decipher no logical cause of death yet. The blood samples showed nothing and the section left me clueless. It appears that life was literally sucked out of him."

That sounded all too familiar.

-"Are you sure he's really dead?" She gives me an odd look.

-"In case he was alive when he arrived here, he's sure to be dead by now, since he's spent more than one night in the freezer in his birthday suit, plus, no man has ever survived autopsy. If this is it, gentlemen, I'll leave you, sure you can find the exit." We seemingly unnerved the woman, right, I unnerved her, but I needed to be sure, didn't I? We took several pictures of the body, with the kind permission of pathologist and got out of the creepy place in one piece.

-"Soka, you ok?" I looked at the pale youth.

-"Of course I'm fine." He snapped and sunk into his thoughts again. He wanted to take revenge on Muraki himself, now this opportunity was denied. However I didn't share his spirits. Hisoka had potential that was yet to be developed, at the moment however he wouldn't stand a chance against that psychopath's attack. I looked at the clear sky. The spring was chilly and sakura blossoms matched their counterparts in YouOhCho.

-"A-a choo!"

-"Gesundheit!"

Hisoka was developing a summer allergy. I didn't know he was so sensitive, even as a shinigami. Yet another reason to care for him, no matter how much he dislikes that.

-"Well, at least it's all over now." I exhale with relief. "So, wanna go celebrate?" Hisoka cast me a look of disbelief.

-"How can you still be hungry after what you saw?" I look at him as if he'd grown another head.

-"Well, I was hungry when we had gotten there, so why shouldn't I be hungry now? Besides, how long will you dwell on that? He's gone, dead, finito! That simply cries out for celebration!" The kid only sighed in defeat.

-"Yeah, sure, why not, maybe later." We've gotten over our little differences, and my puppy stare has started having effects on him, gosh I'm a lucky guy.

-"Great, then after work!" I beam at him in anticipation. Oh I can't wait, there's that new Thai restaurant just around the corner and they are having the cash discount for promoting. Oh sweet mother of all Yum Talai yum, or maybe the Lahb Gai Chicken salad. My mouth starts to water.

-"Hey, it's not evening yet, so keep your salvia for yourself."

-"Oh, sorry about that." I wipe my mouth with a sleeve. And back we go to our duties. Had to report to Chief.

-"Yes, Chief, it was the man – Muraki Kazutaka is clinically dead. These are the pictures of the body. Case closed. And if you excuse us, we'll be heading to the case-closed party." I announce cheerfully and go off to find Hisoka. I must say that today we got along like house on fire and that's something. We both, mind you b-o-t-h, means I did stuff too, worked like Trojans just to get away from the work faster and go get ourselves something to munch on.

-"I can't wait!"

-"You repeat yourself"

-"I can't wait!"

-"Groan."

-"I can't wait."

-"Calm down, Tsuzuki, we're heading there."

-"I'm sorry, Soka, but I just can't wait."

-"I couldn't have guessed."

We've finally gotten free, not one soul was able to stop us from our goal – Cheese dumplings with Curry!

-"You know they're famous for their dumplings, there are all sorts! And there is the best sticky rice that goes so well with barbecued chicken, not to mention all sorts of dips, salty, spicy, sweet and sour!" I frolic around him for a moment.

-"Geeze, have you been memorizing their menu or something? If I didn't know better, I would have said they paid you for advertising."

I shake my head, "Of course not, albeit they could. "I wink at him. Well it's my treat, despite my low budget, all because one night I had burst into Hisokas apartment and cleaned his fridge. He wasn't all too happy and refused to believe that I was sleepwalking or rather sleep-eating. Furthermore he gave me a very nasty bump on the head and requested to replace the missing products. I hope one dinner is enough to get him off my back.

Gosh, the sweetest of all shrimp salads await!!!

Several hours later with a stomach ache.

Oh my. All that cheese and noodles. I turn on my back to ease my stomach, if I did indeed sleep on it, all that night's meal would have gone out the same way it entered, not prettily. But at least Hisoka was happy, really happy, I was so overjoyed, I got an ice-cream headache, but that's a minor setback. The real problem is, well, there is no money left in my wallet for the rest of the month. Let's see, I could always dine at Tatsumis, err no, bad idea; last time he charged tons for some really good prepared lasagna. There is always Watari, but he would try exploiting me as a guinea pig and he would definitely give me the honor to try his best invention 'eva' aka perpetual _horror _of all male staff – the sex changing potion. And there is Hisoka, whom I owe half of his fridge's contents right now. Hmm, let's think. Well, I could always go and work in that local nightclub, as a waiter. The she-owner had an eye for me once I stumbled over there. Although she offered me stage job which I politely refused, I should be able to get a less flashy position.

Oi, enough of thinking for now, it makes my belly upset, and if I threw up now, I would definitely feel hungry in matter of hours.

Ok right now my livingroom starts becoming creepy. Sometimes I get this feeling of being creped out when silence becomes oppressive and I start thinking there's an evil spirit or a monster hiding in every shadowed corner of my room. I know I'm dealing with them on daily basis and that I'm like the most destructive thing in here, but still there are some fears one keeps from his childhood.

Before the unease becomes permanent, I switch the radio on. Oh that's better, some love- songs from 90s and some jazz, good background for steady digestion. I yawn again oh this makes me feel drowsy. I venture to my little kitchen to get the toothpaste and toothbrush. I like brushing teeth after mealtimes so I find it more convenient to store oral hygiene utensils there. I spread a generous amount of peppermint whatever paste with some blah, blah options that battled caries and so on, like if I had to worry about that. I return to the livingroom to listen to the late night newsflash with a toothbrush sticking out of my mouth. I continue the dutiful scrubbing of my incisors.

Let's hear it, some US politics in Iraq, the new president of France, yeah, that doesn't bother me, where are the local news? Yay, finally – signing truce for the Kuril Islands with Russia, the disturbance Shanghai, the robbery of the city morgue, several bodies stolen, and the car accident of 34 th lane. Wait, wait, wait, city morgue robbed?? I almost spat the toothpaste on the floor. What idiot would rob the city morgue? That is the most stupid heist I've ever heard about and mind you, I've been around for some time.

I would understand pillaging graves where people actually put some worthy belongings, but a morgue? I shake my head, oh times, oh mortals. I go to the kitchen to put back the toothbrush and set for some sleep.

I take my clothes off and crawl into bed, yes I sleep naked, because the pajamas tend to twist around my body and neck, and although I am an ex-suicide, I have no liking of repeating the event. I cuddle under covers and turn the nightlight off. Sweet dreams Tsuzuki, old chap, and you too, the person who lives in my head. I chuckle at my own joke.

I wake up in the middle of the night, the air in my room is heavy and it's hot like hell. It shouldn't be like this in early spring. I open the window to let some breeze in, but that doesn't help. It seems like all of the city's heaters had been turned on. The air is still and stuffy. Gosh it's hot and I'm thirsty. I go to get a glass of water and settle to drink it. Ok this should help and a cold shower. I drown the last mouthfuls of the water when suddenly I'm bothered by an oppressive sensation of being watched. I turn around swiftly and see the golden glow of streetlights and signboards. I could have sworn there was somebody there just a moment ago and since I don't believe in Spiderman, this was bound to be something else. I gulp and shut my windows; there was no use of keeping them open anyway. I put a fouda above each of them just in case and set off for shower.

I turn he water on and feel the cool substance dampen my face and hair, running down my body merrily. I sigh in relief, this was bliss, purely. I open my eyes and am blinded by red. There are stains of red on the tile and my hands, I gasp looking around, there is red stuff coming out of my shower!!! No, I can't blame this on rusty pipes, the smell tells a different story! I jump out of the shower and open the tap of the sink to wash the blood off. What the hell is it? To my relief there is water running there and I'm more than happy to clean the substance off. When I m calmed a bit, I peek into the shower to see the stains again. I quickly shut the door and turn around I'm feeling so bad I think I gonna faint. What kind of a sick joke was this anyway, and it's two weeks until the 1st of April. I know I should clean the shower before the blood crusts but I don't want to, I feel so feeble and bad now I want to phone somebody or yell at Watari although I'm more than certain it's not his doing.

It dawned at me, it's the doing to this entity that was watching me, nothing else corresponded, what the hell was that anyway? I saw a blurred glimpse but there definitely was something there, a demonic entity most likely, or the Spiderman, nay, a demonic entity.

I feel butterflies in my stomach, what if I'm being possessed? Panic sets in soon afterwards, what if this is an alternative reality alike the one Saagatanus conjured? Now I'm afraid to exit the bathroom and see all my victims. I cautiously peek outside the bathroom door to see only darkness, the stuffiness had retreated and the room was pleasantly cool now.

I blink, the hairs on the back of my neck stand on their ends. A presence! Behind me! Now I get it, the heat and the demon, he wanted to get in and made me hot so I opened all the windows. Suddenly this hit me like a ton of bricks! I turn around swiftly only to face the darkness of my subconsciousness.

* * *

Well, you see what happens when you leave your windows opened? Oo Bad things. . . And mosquitos

Muraki - There will be another bad thing happening to you!

Morality - What for? You had the good part didnt you?

Muraki (eyetwitch) - Excuse me? I was gutted like a fish and sewn back shut. Im getting you the same part next time and without an anaesthetic!

Morality - "Im not letting you within 10 feet of me, you hear that?

Muraki - Says who?

Morality - Says me, or youre wearing PINK all over you in the next chapter and playing the kinky nurse!

Muraki - It really depends on the patient, you know. /Gets a dreamy look/

Morality- In the chinese brothel

Muraki(Goung through a fit of cough) - You evil, lowly creature!

Morality(Grinning) - Take that!


	2. Depression and feathers

Heyaa, thanks to my permanent readers and rviewers, heres the second chapter and what happened or rather what will happen to our all beloved shinigami.

ps: I must say my exams are drawing nearer and Im getting all freaked out. But hey, I need to let the steam out somewhere.

Virtually yours,

Morality

* * *

I hear buzzing. First it's distant, then nearer and nearer and now it's like somebody was whacking me on the head with a tuba. Speaking of which, I have some hell of a headache and I don't remember drinking yesterday. Wearily I reach out for the annoying piece of machinery. 

-"Hello, what? What time is it?" It's Tatsumi, well; this is really serious, if he's phoning me. And he sounds quite annoyed.

-"Mr. Tsuzuki, its afternoon and you haven't appeared yet!" Yeah, whatever, I think anyone would have my attitude after yesterday, speaking of which, what happened yesterday? "Mr. Tsuzuki, are you listening?"

-"Oh, yeah, right, whatever you say, will be there, bye. "I hang up, ok, to be honest, I have no idea of what he said, but all that I know is – my head wasn't the only place that felt sore. With a groan I untangled the sheets around my person. There is a funny taste in my mouth and in general I feel like a participant of the survival game after the last round, and I had lost.

A brief recap: ate with Hisoka, went home, and woke up in the middle of the night, passed out after the shower. The Shower! Grudgingly I take my sore limbs to the shower, armed with a book – "War and piece" that truly is a heavy piece of literature, however I doubt that would help me. Just to be on the safe side.

-"Whoever you are I'm armed and angry!" I yank the door open quickly and see . . . A bathroom. I peek inside the shower stall to see . . . nothing? Clean walls, not a fleck of red on the white tile. Whoever was there had done a pretty good job at concealing the evidence. I turn the shower on to see only clear water running. Maybe I had dreamt it all. I shake my head. Perhaps all that stuffiness, midnight horrors and passing out was only a nightmare of sorts, albeit it felt so sickeningly real. I quirk my nose and grimace to my reflection in the bathroom mirror. I look intact, not a bruise or scratch, not a thing to tell me what the hell happened. Well, if this truly was a dream then why do I feel so bad? Why is my back aching and, yeah, I really should brush my teeth. I had never experienced such bizarre events hitherto. I feel. . I feel violated . . .

Ok, perhaps there was something in the noodles, but if it was so, then Hisoka must have also experienced that. I shake my head, I don't want to think about it; bad noodles and cope with it. Ache in the rear – that's a reminder of wrong way of sleeping, bad taste in my mouth – morning breath. See, everything has a logical explanation, once you put your mind to it.

I'm almost in my tracks when I come to the kitchen and see the empty glass of water I left on the table last night – and a fouda on the window! I know I didn't put it there the first time I went to sleep! This means, this means! Oh GOSH!

I run to my room and get dressed quickly. Within 10 minutes I teleport to Meifu, I need Watari and quick. On my way I run into Hisoka, who yells at me for being late and drags me off to our office.

-"Hisoka, please, I need to speak to Watari!"

-"NO you don't we've gotten ourselves a new case and I had to deal with it myself while you were snoring in your bed."

-"But Hisoka." I whine.

-"No buts, now make yourself useful and read our task!"

I sigh; here was no arguing with him on that mater. I was guilty on this one; I guess I will catch Watari later. I notice I didn't pay attention to what I was reading. Ok again «_The robbery of the city morgue_».

-"But that's the piece of news from yesterday night." I see Hisoka nod.

-"That's it, in fact the same morgue we visited yesterday."

-"You don't mean that there was His body among the missing ones."

-"That's what we have to investigate." I feel my stomach turn

-"What's wrong with you?"

-"I need a toothbrush."

Some 30 minutes later after a session of vomiting and brushing teeth I finally felt refreshed enough to resume our quest for truth which leads to the same place and same person.

-"Uh hello, remember us? We were sent to investigate."

Ok let's check how well I remember it – same corridor – check

Same person – check

Same lamps – check

Same room – check

Same drawer . . . . . (panic management turning on) the number 463 sent off red alarm alight in my head.

-"Um, could we have a fact file on the missing bodies?"

Several hours later after an argument with Hisoka.

- "Watari, I think I'm being possessed." The scientist only smiles at me.

-"Sorry to unsettle you but this is the first indicator of the opposite. People that are possessed usually don't admit that, however I'll run a few tests to make sure my presumptions are correct."

-"But Watari, I, I really." He cast me a neat look.

-"It's ok; we'll run a few tests to find that out, happy?"

-"Will that hurt?" I wince.

-"Some ways won't hurt, some will. Right now we'll try some less thorough methods that don't need much preparation. However I'll need time to prepare a more sophisticated cache."

-"Ok, what would this be?" I see Watari strewing salt around me and some herbs, then he lights candles around the place I stood.

-"I thought we were to detect demonic possession not do voodoo, what next – a sacrifice of a chicken?" I laugh airily.

-"Shut it and eat this." He stuffed a lump of. ."Garlic?!" into my mouth.

-"The hell, do you know how hard it is to get rid of garlicky breath?" I whine, however the scientist refuses to let go.

-"Eat it." Fine, I chew on the clove bravely, feeling my eyes water.

-"Was that really necessary or did you do this for your own enjoyment?"

-"Such things trivial as they may seem, are not liked by evil spirits, Asato. The fact you're not freaking out leads to two things. First – you're not possessed, second – you're possessed by a rather strong entity."

-"Great, thanks a lot, now I can sleep with no worry that I'll go and destroy Meifu next morning." I reply sarcastically.

-"This only indicates you're obsessed rather than possessed." Gosh another smartass remark and I'll do something I'd later regret.

-"Whatever, thanks a bunch, Watari."

No matter how deviant in ways, Watari was usually good at such things and this indeed made me feel much better. Tired and smelling faintly of garlic, I went to my gloomy home.

I didn't open the windows and I didn't dare using the shower. I just brushed my teeth. Yawning widely, I took a wreath of garlic – a souvenir from Watari and put it at the headboard of my bed.

Now I truly feel like Bram Stoker's Lucy. Yeah right, me the idiot girl Lucy, Watari – Dr Van Hellsing, the only thing missing would be Dracula . . . Ok, good night Tsuzuki, poor chap and you, the person who lives in my head.

I fell into a dreamless slumber seemingly quick. In the middle of the night I woke up from a ticklish sensation on my nose. I reached out and grasped whatever was tickling me and came up with a feather. A soft, downy, pale feather, I couldn't distinguish the color in semi darkness. I groaned and turned on my side to fall asleep again.

Next time I woke that night, I felt a feather lingering on my lips. I got annoyed and hid under the blanket. The next moment I thought I heard a chuckle and peeked out from under my covers, holding a paper charm in my hand. I had a spare stock under my pillow, just as a matter of precaution. Beside me, the room was empty and quiet.

-"Who's there?" I enquired, knowing fully nobody would answer. Am I loosing my mind?

I step out of my bed still holding fouda between my fingers and a string of garlic on my neck. This is no ordinary poltergeist. Whatever the superstitions, a drowning man clings to a straw, so I clung to garlic and paper charm looking carefully for any sign of supernatural activity. And I didn't have to look far. When I opened my living room door, I thought I had left a freezer door open. It was cold and it was . . . snowing? When I took a closer look, I saw that it was no snow, those were feathers, white feathers littering my living room. Ok Asato, you've encountered ghosts before, this shouldn't be any different. The barrier would protect me from any kind of attack.

-"Show yourself!" I shouted at the feathery room, but nothing happened; only a few feathers flew past my barrier and landed on my shoulders. I shrugged them off. The barrier didn't prevent such small, harmless things from entering; it stopped vicious, forceful attacks, not mere bits of something that had no potential of harming me – call it an energy saving if you will.

A caress down my jaw startled me out of my thoughts. A feather, but its touch was unnaturally gentle, a lingering caress that reminded human fingers. I shrugged that off too and rubbed my cheek to get rid of the tingling sensation. Another feather brushed past my lips in semblance of a gentle stroke of rather a lap. This left me utterly terrified. Gosh, what is this?

-"S-stop it!" I exclaimed to the room. No answer. . An increased intensity of feather – fall was the only reaction I got.

-"Dammit! Stop it this instant! Show yourself!" nothing but caresses of feathers along my body that altogether didn't feel all that bad, just creepy.

-"What do you want?"

Silence

-"Why me?"

More silence.

-"Are you going to do this all night long? If you are, do me a favor and don't disturb me, and if you're so insistent on staying, make yourself useful and stop littering my living room."

I know the last line was a bit silly. Well fine, whole talking to an empty room thingy was silly but what else could I do? I couldn't attack the ceiling, and I couldn't distinguish one permanent source of this oddness.

I turned around and was stunned by a feathery caress al along my back and some sort of a sound that reminded me of "Ok"

Well that made me feel a tad better. This means I'm not possessed, only my apartment is, oh joy!

I bolted back to my room faster than a rocket and shut the door quickly, placing some 10 barrier charms onto it. Quickly I hit Wataris number on my cell phone.

-"Watari, my house is haunted!" I heard rustles and groans in the background he must have slept.

-"Do you know what time it is?" I couldn't skip the tone of annoyance.

-"I know, I'm sorry, but my house is haunted! Could I come to your place?"

-"Listen I don't mean to be rude, but that's exactly your job."

-"Please Watari, or perhaps you could come over, I'm afraid!" I'm whining, I know that, but what else could I do?

-"Oh all right, but I'll need some things first, are you sure you can hold on until then?"

-"How long?"

-"A half an hour or so."

-"What? I'll go crazy in here."

-"Just hold on, I'll be there as soon as I can."

-"Thank you, Watari." The minute I hang up, I hear scraping at the door as if something was clawing it in order to get in. Then I heard faint indistinguishable whispers. Color fled my face and I retreated to the far wall of the room. Goodness what the heck is this? I saw the seals on my door turn to ashes one by one, murmur increasing in volume. I extend a barrier fouda awaiting the attack, but none came. As the last seal smoldered, the murmurs stopped, replaced by eerie silence. I thought I would literally jump out of my skin; my forehead was beaded with cold sweat and I looked around trying to se the source of this, yet again nothing.

I heard smolder and a smell of burned paper, I whip my head back and see the charm I was holding incinerate before my very eyes. A shiver ran down my spine accented by a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. Dammit, why can't I see anything? I was usually good at finding sources of supernatural, wait, I notice a faint smoky shimmer that seems to become more substantial. This gives me more ground for action quickly I reach for another charm but something stops me in mid air. Despite all my struggles I feel myself being pressed by force that seems to squeeze all air out of my lungs. I gasp seeing a vaporous entity before me and feeling the all too well known stupor coming over me, yes now I'm sure who it is.

-"Muraki." I growl and feel a cold caress of long dead fingers. I can't help but whimper, tears pooling in corners of my eyes.

-"Watari! Help!" Gosh, he's not here yet. "Suza . . ." cold, cold something. . Lips!

I am muffled by a kiss that made my skin crawl, cold, a taste of true death and decay. Mentally I cried out to my phoenix. Suzaku, Suzaku, please!! Nothing, silence. I gasp but find that my mouth and throat are frozen, unlikely to move. And some cold substance seeping down my throat and collecting in the pit of my stomach. I tremble unable to utter a sound, disgusted by putrid coldness entering me. Neither water nor ice, something smooth and cool yet disturbing, it felt like swallowing a snake whole. I wanted to scream, fight, anything but wait until he decided that was enough.

I blinked, within several moments I regained my bearings and gulped several times. It was over for now. Now I felt I was free to cry. I slumped on the wall and slid down on the floor, apathy taking over my senses. I felt filthy, violated, empty and cold.

For some reason I felt there would be no more attacks this night. So I dragged my body to the bed and curled into a ball. What happened there? What did he want, why is he here? There is nothing left for him to want from me; he can't obtain immortality being dead.

-"Why, why do you torment me?" I sob.

Silence.

-"Tsuzuki, hey, Asato, where are you?" I hear a commotion in the livingroom but don't feel any strength or desire to answer.

-"Oh, there you are. What happened, Tsuzuki, you look pale." I merely looked at him sadly.

-"Asato, what happened?" I would have been happy to see him before it all happened; now I only feel shame and guilt.

-"Nothing." I mumble staring into space.

-"Who are you and what did you do to my pal?" He asks half jokingly.

-"Nothing, Watari, its still me, I just feel depressed."

-"Come, Asato, something happened, and I wasn't there, that's the problem isn't it? Sorry Asato, please, come with me, you've lived alone for too long." I shake my head,

-"I want to be alone."

-"First answer me what happened." I sigh.

-"Fine. My apartment is haunted." My lax responses made him look at me suspiciously.

-"And there was a reason you phoned me 15 minuets ago. What did it do to you?"

-"I don't know." Watari frowned.

-"Ok first of al we'll get you out of here, its obvious it's feeding on you."

* * *

Neat huh? Poor Tsuzuki getting all depresed, but dont you worry, he will come to more revelations in the next chapter. 


	3. More corpses

Hello, my faithful readers, thank you again for your concern and genuine interest, now theres another story to tickle your senses. Have fun 

Slightly ticklish, 

Morality

* * *

Watari talked me into staying at his place. Truth to be told I liked it, it was the most disorganized organization I've ever seen, the colors were in disharmony, the Scottish quilt- patterned plaid was out of place with orange curtains and black minimalism furniture – plus the coziest indigo- colored chair I've ever sat in. I suppose Watari truly loved all that colorful stuff. After sitting me in the aforementioned chair, he went to the kitchen that sported tiles with pink hearts on them. How he even could exist in this environment was beyond me, it looked like if a girl lived here. But perhaps that's where his cheerful attitude to everything rooted. . . I wonder what attitude would I have if I painted the walls of my apartment yellow, with little chicken print . . . and covered the ceiling just above my bed with muffins . . . and got a fluffy rug that is so fluffy that my slippers, house keys and change (if I had some that is) got lost in it.; perhaps then I could make better excuses for being late, like, sorry Tatsumi, I didn't sleep in, I was looking for my watch in my rug. I snapped to reality, or rather it was Watari who did it, by snapping fingers in my face.

-"Hey, stop daydreaming!"

-"Oh, sorry, Watari, what did you say again?"

-"I'm going to ask you several questions just to be on the safe side, ok?" I looked at him like a man who's lived for about a century and has a depression.

-"Fine, let her rip."

-"What's Chief's favorite dish?"

-"Everything that has a word 'sweet' in it."

-"Hmm, ok, who's your partner?"

-"Hisoka."

-"Who's your ex- partner?"

-"I had lots should I start from the beginning?"

-"No, just name the last one."

-"Tatsumi."

-"What did the sex- changing potion do to Terazuma?"

-"You tested it on him? Why didn't you tell me?" Watari smiles.

-"It was a pitfall question; I haven't even finished that thing yet. Ok the last question – What's my greatest secret?"

-"You went fishing with Oriya and he got you."

-"Well, whoever you are, my friend, you know virtually everything about him."

-"I develop a feeling that I'm, in fact, being myself."

-"So tell me, what you would like to eat?" I sensed another pitfall.

-"Normally I would have preferred a slice of apple pie with cranberry sauce, but now I'm in no mood for eating and all I want to do now is to make a huge, sobbing mess of myself on your shoulder."

-"Be my guest."

And I cried, cried for souls who refuse to give up, particularly one soul that has taken a liking of my apartment or rather me in my apartment. For everything that I tried forgetting about, for his blood on my hands, for Hisokas fate and for myself at last. I didn't even notice how sleep finally took over my tormented mind.

* * *

It is hot, too hot for my liking, am I in fever? I see nothing and feel only heat, melting my senses into submission, making my body lax, languor binding my will. I toss and turn in the bed only to open my eyes and . . .

-"Watari, what in the blazes have you been doing?!" The scientist only smiles at me, placing another hot basin of smelly, vaporous liquid at my bed. "Do you want to cook me alive or just watch my reactions at sleep?"

-"I was trying to determine demonic possession and make sure that thing in your apartment couldn't feed on you remotely." Some reasoning kicks in.

-"Oh, sorry, thanks for that, Watari, Whatever it was, it must have boiled alive while you were at it." He giggles.

-"Well we wouldn't want history repeating itself, now would we?" I sigh.

-"Oh, you couldn't have been more right. Now, if you excuse me, can I take a shower or are you not done yet."

-"Oh yes, before you go, use these." He hands me several flasks of vile- looking liquid. I look at him warily.

-"Is this also a part of the cure or your new experiment?" I sniff one liquid end feel my eyes water. "Oh goodness, what Is this stuff?"

-"Trust me, you don't want to know the contents, but it truly is the cure, or rather a preventive measure. I spent all yesterday working on it."

-"Is that why it smells so bad?" Watari huffed at me and steered me to the shower.

-"Now go and wash!"

-"Wait, wait, what do I have to do with these?" I indicate to the bottles.

-"Spread them all over your body and then wash off."

-"I wouldn't recommend you opening a beauty saloon. You would scare all the customers away." I chuckle; my mood was beginning to improve.

-"Ha, ha, very funny, hilarious." He literally stuffed me into the bathroom.

-"Hey, Watari, perhaps you would have a user's manual for this?" I indicate at another jar with some dead rat floating in it. "Am I supposed to eat it or ask out for a date?"

-"Oh shut your big mouth with it!"

-"No, but truly, what is it for?"

-"Just don't dispose of it, ok?" I enter the shower and take a look at those flasks, Yuck, oh well; too bad it isn't the strawberry sherbet. I unplug one of the thingies. Ok this one smells more or less normal, like burnt coffee.

I do like He said, by smearing the substance over my body. Gosh it stinks! And in some seconds it started burning too, purple fumes rising from my skin.

-"Yaa, OW, ow, owww!" I fumble trying to turn the water tap and wash the thing off. This proved quite difficult; my slippery fingers just couldn't get it open. Cursing and whimpering I finally get the water running, and it's HOT.

-"ARGHH!! BLOODY HELL!" I switch on the cold tap after some more grappling and sigh with relief, "Ahh." I exhaled a mouthful of purple fumes, not particularly bothered by it. Now this was bliss, no stinging, no burning, just cold water. I looked over my reddened skin that was starting to develop purple blotches. Now wonderful, I'm sporting an allergic reaction, if this doesn't come off soon, I swear I'll do something bad to Watari.

I sigh, oh well, might as well get clean. I take some normal shower gel, I think I've suffered enough from Wataris inventions today.

Overtaken by the need of being more careful to my body, I rubbed myself thoughtfully, paying extra attention to the most delicate areas. It was so unlike my usual way of scrubbing and rubbing until my skin was sore. I must admit these were the little things with which I expressed the loathing of my damned body, Even on a subconscious level. I just didn't feel clean until my skin sported red marks.

However now it was a bit different. When I was all soapy and foamy, a curiosity, or rather a desire caught me off guard. I wanted, no, needed to touch myself. I never had, in a sensuous way. So, excitement sparkled in me when I started a thorough exploration of my body; for reasons unknown to me, just because.

I closed my eyes and leant against the wall. The sensation was unbelievable, soothing, ticklish and mildly arousing. I never thought I had enough skill to achieve such a result so quickly. Blushing I looked down on my achievement, that was currently very attentive and eager. Encouraged by the effect, I explored myself lower, curiously reaching down and caressing myself.

I had to bite down a little moan. Immediately I got all ashamed and shy. Why am I doing this?

On the other hand, it feels so pleasant, even more relaxing than sweets. The awful events of the night were eased off of my mind and my body was singing. I sighed softly, relishing in the delicate sensation of skin rubbing against skin. While fondling myself I was overcome by drowsiness and languor. Although this was far from what I've heard people could achieve, I felt reasonably content and at peace with everything. Faintly I noticed the purple blotches were gone.

I dried myself carefully as if I were the most valuable person to myself in this whole universe. I put one some sleeping shorts and a simple cotton shirt. My demeanor was contently peaceful.

-"Hey, how did it go, I heard you screaming."

-"Oh, I just turned the wrong tap on, I never expected such hot water, mine is usually half times cooler than yours." Why did I not tell him that the thing stung like hell, and about the purple blotches?

-"Oh, I see, are you certain it wasn't the thing that I asked you to use?" That was when my mood turned for the worse. I wanted to tell him, that yes, it was, it was the thing, however.

-"You mean I should have felt something?" Why am I lying?

-"Well, yes." He looked at me carefully

-"The only thing that stung truly, were my eyes, you know how to make eye watering mixtures." I just laugh airily. The memory of stinging was dulled by the events that took place later; perhaps it truly wasn't that bad and didn't need mentioning.

-"Sure, let's get some rest before Tatsumi sees it fit to accuse us for being late." I giggle at that and grin.

-"Yeah, I don't want the dreaded shadow master to flip out at me."

**In the morning.**

Idly I floated through clumps of cotton candy when _WHAM _what was it?! _WHAM_ again. I scrambled under my cowers, but it didn't help much, I got another blow. Desperately I untangle from the sheets to see Watari pouncing at me.

-"Ya! What do you think you're doing?!" I try getting away from the hyper scientist. Who was now ordering his glasses while sitting opposite me, quite composed?

-"I was making sure you weren't possessed."

-"How? By scaring me to my second death?"

-"Of course not, I was trying to surprise the demon in you." I roll my eyes.

-"I think it didn't work. Ok, Watari, I think I heard 003 calling, see ya when you come up with something else."

Well, waking up on time had it's advantages a well, like Surprised Hisoka for instance, or Tatsumi expressing concern about my wellbeing.

-"Hey Soka, how's it going?" He cast me a longer than usual stare, but then returned to the topic.

-"Fine, just going through details here. I think we should check the dissecting centre for these records of the stolen bodies and find out where that would lead us. I know this might sound silly, but we might as well find out what use there is of dead bodies after all." I quirk my nose, this is not the best way to start a day. I hope he was aware of the cold chills running up my back.

The morgue was creepy alright, but the dissecting centre was at least two times creepier. Why do we keep attending such places?

However we were met by a very nice person. It was an elderly man, balding and plump.

-"Hello, gentlemen, come in, come in, I've been waiting for you."

-"Good day, Dr. Marhadjan, it's nice to meet you."

He smiled at us and lead through the corridors. No buzzing of electrical lamps was there, everything was bathed in twilight that resembled basement. The place was pleasantly cool, and the only sickening thing were the faint outlines of limbs floating in formalin, that, luckily for us, were obscured in the murky hollows of the walls. In other place and time, the kind man would have passed for Dr Frankenstein himself. However our journey through macabre hallways ended in a sun-bathed office of the same person.

-"Oh, sorry for the creepy walk, this place is also used as a museum and exhibit for students. So how can I help you?" From the corner of the eye I could see Hisoka shudder.

-"We wanted your advice on the case of the missing bodies."

-"Ah, I see, I see, a weird robbery for a naked eye, isn't it?" We looked at him curiously.

-"It's a cold day outside isn't it? You both are shivering." He stated concerned. "Make yourselves comfortable while I get some tea, then we'll discuss this further." I was amazed about how he didnt loose faith in humanity while residing in such a creepy place, but I guess he truly missed human company.

Within several minutes the man returned, bringing 3 cups of tea and some biscuits.

-"Um, Doctor, would you care to look through these files?" I handed him the folders and he smiled at us jolly.

-"Oh, the body files, right? Of course, now don't be shy, help yourself to some cookies." Both I and Hisoka gulped, we weren't too keen on eating.

-"Um, sorry, we'd be glad, but we just ate, but the tea is delicious."

-"Ah, everyone has the same excuse. I can't help understanding why." The irony wasn't lost on us. After humming several times, he replied.

-"This will need more thorough examination; however, I might tell you just what benefits the dead bodies bring, if you like." We both gulped again and nodded."

-"Very well then. The bodies, especially nowadays are quite a good source of money and not too unorthodox either. Let's start with the most primitive thing like Necrophilia." I suppressed an urge to squeeze Hisokas ears shut, for the love of God, he was still a kid! "But, there is one problem, you need a fresh body and a day old corpse isn't all too inviting. However there is a more sophisticated use of dead bodies. Do you know how many kinds of various precious metals are used for quality artificial limbs? Or rather how many precious devices are sewn into these bodies? The simplest of simple – a set of golden teeth, incrusted with diamonds, and do you know how much a heart pace-maker costs? An average rich person has at least something sewn into his body – call it a trapping of wealth or an expensive treatment." We blinked at him. "However the social status of the dead will be yours to determine, it was just a hint. However there is something peculiar about one corpse. The analysis showed it had a heightened amount of glucose in it. Do you know what it means?" I and Hisoka continued batting eyelashes, I, for example didn't even know what it was. "Hibernating animals such as bats, hedgehogs and bears also have this phenomenon." I barely suppressed a snort." This protects their cells from frostbite. The temperature of their body might reach 4 degrees but the cells of the animal will not be harmed. This is a natural example of cryogenics."

-"So what you mean is, one of the corpses was a failed experiment?"

-"Maybe so, however the amount of glucose wasn't deadly." I furrow my brow.

-"Which person is it?" The doc. only flipped the folder and read.

-"I believe the name reads Muraki Kazutaka." I tensed and so did Hisoka.

**That evening at the bar.**

I thought that Hisoka was a teetotaler, however I was wrong. I was trying to convince him this all was some kind of coincidence – an example of human greed and nothing more. As the research proved later that day, all of the bodies sported some things of value, including the same platinum teeth, all but one body that is . . .

-"Maybe they sold it to a necrophiliac that loves collecting unusual bodies, and Murakis is one that we could call unusual." However he wasn't all that trusting.

-"He's not dead, dammit, he survived section before, on Queen Camellia, remember?" I furrowed my brow.

-" Wait, wait, Soka, listen, the section was performed by a student, remember? Maybe he even didn't cut the body open, just assumed the previous facts." I reason out.

-"So you want to say he was lying?"

-"Yes, we didn't see the body after section, did we? So both facts are equally possible, but I think that my version is correct, I doubt anyone could survive his insides being torn open AND we did see the body – all stitched up and stiff as a board." I could clearly see he was on verge of tears, so I hugged him.

-"Soka, its ok, we'll get to the bottom of this, don't worry. What good will it do if we'll be haunted by Murakis ghost, hmm?" Wait, Murakis ghost! Goodness, I remembered, but it felt like if it had been so long ago. I gulped thickly. "He truly is dead; I can feel it in my bones." Suddenly Hisoka pushed me away.

-"Soka, what is it?" I asked perplexed.

-"D-don't come near me!" I blinked again

-"What's wrong, did I say something? Hisoka, you look like you've seen a ghost." He clutched his head.

-"Stop, stop, Tsuzuki, you're hurting me!" My jaw dropped. I didn't feel anything and I wasn't thinking anything that could cause such a reaction.

-"Soka!" I took one step closer and the kid slumped against the wall.

-"Why are you doing this?" I could hear him sob.

-"D-doing what?" I was starting to sound hysterical. I reasoned that it was wiser to retreat from him. "Soka, you ok?" I asked after some time.

-"Fine."

- "I'm sorry if I did something, but I didn't feel anything."

-"It's ok, forget about it." I couldn't stop worrying. "Soka, what happened?"

-"It's nothing that concerns you." I couldn't help but feel hurt.

-"Soka, you're my partner, you are my concern." I said earnestly. And came to him, seeing he didn't wince anymore. "What happened?"

-"I, I saw, that, night, night a-again. B-but in your mind." What night? I recalled only one night that was bad as it was –Kyoto. I wonder why that shouldn't be in my mind. I was there too. Well, perhaps he thought I was unconscious or something. Goodness, poor guy.

-"It's ok, let's get home, you need to get some sleep."

* * *

(Hsioka) - "Idiot, it wasnt THE night I was referring to, THE night was when I, when He, when . . ."(runs away sobbing) 

(Tsuzuki) - "Huh?  
(Muraki) Grinning - "My ghost huh?" (starts choking Morality) "You did kill me you evil thing!" 

(Morality) (brushes the dust off) -"Stop being such a sissy, litle death hasnt hurt anyone." 

(Muraki) - "I beg to differ, If my body was sold to some crazy necrophiliac, Ill be most displeased." 

(Morality) - "Well if youre afraid of some little affections to your corpse, then youll serve me tea and shut up so I can continue writing." 

(Muraki) Grumble 

(Morality) - "See you next time folks!" 


	4. Sleeping beauty Part I

Hello, dear readers, sorry for the giga delay, but I just couldnt find enough strength to write the text that had been in my notebook for so long. Because there was a practise with frentch voleyball team, and work at exams and so on, well, kinda big load of work, anyways, I was diligently writing all this time, until I finally could submit, and here you go, it is kinda part one, because it is too long for one chapter. 

PS: Thank you my faithful readers, love you all to the lid of my grave 

Yours slightly coughing, 

Morality

* * *

I put Hisoka to sleep quickly, tucking him in and making sure he was comfortable.

- "Sorry, Soka, I hope you won't get a hangover tomorrow." The kid groaned something indistinguishable in his sleep.

-"Don't let the bed bugs bite." I quietly shut the door of his apartment and went home. It started raining on my way, a chilly drizzle filled the air. I wasn't ready for such weather; my coat was soaking wet, droplets of water running down my nose and hair. I pulled the coat tighter around myself and shivered. I could simply appear home, of course, but I needed a walk to order my mind.

As soon as I got home, I stripped from my clothing, not even bothering to put it somewhere; I just discarded it along my path to the bathroom. Wet shoes and coat, shirt, pants, tie, underwear, everything was scattered, because there was something urging me to go there, something akin of a need, ache or frustration. I almost stumbled into the bathroom and turned the cold water on in hopes of getting rid of this infernal feeling, however, granted that I was already cold, I couldn't stand the chilly spray any longer and turned the hot water on. Goodness, it felt wonderful, still, the need returned with a new force and I knew there was only one way available of getting rid of it. I know I'm going to feel ashamed for doing this later, but I'm afraid if I don't, I'll go crazy.

I turn the water off gingerly and lean against the wall shutting my eyes. I reach down. Once in place my fist started moving in a familiar soothing fashion and I didn't have to control it for pressure or speed, everything was set, I was there only to enjoy. And enjoy I did, oh Goodness, I did! Soon my hips started moving in sync with the strokes and my knees became shaky. Feeling instability, I slid down the tile, to the bottom of the shower to succumb to sensation fully.

With my tights spread widely and panting, right now I wanted someone aside myself to touch me, goodness, I need touch. "Oh!" A whimper of utter frustration hit the tile, I begun imagining ghostly fingertips grazing my damp, feverish skin with cool touch. My breath hitched. Wait, it wasn't my imagination, nothing I imagined could feel _that_ real, yet, instead of panicking I moaned and welcomed more, it felt so soothing, so, so . . .wrong, no, "Ow!"

That was when my fingers clenched around me. I gave a loud groan and lent forward, supporting myself on one arm, while the other continued driving me crazy. I panted heavily, feeling tiny beads of sweat running down my forehead. I clenched my teeth arching, feeling my toes curl - the frenzy of hot friction, the flush on my cheeks, the ripples of pleasure sending trembles through my body. It was so much, too much.

-"AAH!"

Everything went blank, or rather drowned. I felt like floating – weightless, slowly descending to Earth, as I felt the aftershocks wear down. When I glanced at my hand, a thick, milky substance was splattered over it. Curiously I examined it closer as it trickled down my palm and along my forearm.

. . . _So much_ . . .

I heard the phone go off in the livingroom. Nonchalantly I stood up and went to answer it feeling the droplets of water dribble down my wet back, along the spine, down the buttocks, to the calves until finally finding their rest on the floor. I left a trail of wet footprints behind me.

-"Yes. Oh, Watari, Hi."

-"Tsuzuki, why are you there, you crazy man! Wasn't one time enough?" Obviously the scientist was agitated.

-"Sorry about not warning you, Watari, I just wanted to take some things."

-"Fine, but if you take longer than half an hour, I'll come and drag you out of there!"

-"Ok, I'll be quick." I chuckle lightly and hang up. I glanced up, catching my reflection in the window. It petrified me – I was grinning maliciously or rather sneering. I didn't notice pulling such a facial expression; moreover, I didn't make such expressions! In horror I watched myself lift the semen stained palm. My reflection self met my gaze boldly and brought it to his lips. My insides turned and I flinched inwardly as the reflection lapped the substance off, still regarding me with a lustful gaze – eyes half lidded a small smile playing on his lips, it finished by sucking each of fingers clean, I could almost feel the taste of my essence lingering on the back of my tongue. I wanted to turn away, however I couldn't, until it had finished. I looked at my palm seeing it was clean, glistening slightly with salvia.

I covered my mouth, honestly I wanted to gag, to escape, but sadly there was no escaping myself. Wait, no – I was being possessed – Watari was right – all this was unlikely to me, so unlikely, I wouldn't have even returned here, but something made me, something MADE me do all these things and hurt Hisoka too.

_-"Get out of my head; get out of my mind, Get Out Of My Body, GET OUT!!!!!"_

I felt something stir inside me, not much, but enough to let me realize. I continued my inner struggle, sadly it was quite difficult to fight against something that I couldn't see, something quiet and frightening, something I could notice only out of the corner of my eye but it wasn't there when I turned my gaze. It seemed to lurk the levels of my sub consciousness, influence me by manipulating my most primal needs, not confronting me directly. The revelation made me wince. This meant it was weak or weakened or a parasite, that didn't take over, just ensured it could feed. This made me feel a bit better – this meant that I would have little trouble getting rid of it. All I had to do was to tell Watari and get a grip of myself. Yes, that's right. The sooner the better, before it hadn't gotten stronger by feeding on me.

However then I felt something else getting a grip of me, I felt myself being pushed away from my bodily controls gently and being left to observe – like a movie. I remembered myself being walked back to Wataris – chatting a bit and then going to sleep.

My body was like on the auto pilot, I was left to watch while the invisible puppet master did his job. Take me to work, communicate, file, eat, go home again, wake up next morning and then all over again - wash, go to work . . . The only time when I seemed to regain some of the bearings was when I stroked myself. That happened from time to time, making me feel even dizzier and more confused. I was utterly sickened and unhappy altogether, but I couldn't brake free, because seemingly nothing held me back, seemingly nothing was wrong with touching me and it even provided pleasant distraction from everyday. Perhaps I was caught in routine. Perhaps there was nothing but that, feelings should have numbed sooner or later, and emotions should have burnt themselves out and left me empty.

So I coped with it, learnt to live with it, until one day, after work, I didn't go home. My feet carried me somewhere I didn't know. The dark streets and houses passed before my eyes, but I failed to recognize them or rather I didn't care. One of the weirdest things was, my mind was a buzz of questions all they floated somewhere under the surface but still deep enough to be difficult to get to. Such questions as _Why? How? What is the reason?_

None of them triggered any reaction, although I know they should have, I m certain they should have made me think. And if I would have answered them, I know I would have found the strength to stop, but I couldn't, my legs took me further, my mind was cocooned in cool numbness and my senses were dulled. I didn't care.

One dark alley, to the left, to the right, take out the keys, hey, I don't remember having those, or rather ever going to the place where I was now, and why on earth should I have the keys from the place I have never been at?

That was the weirdest thing I've ever encountered. However my surprises didn't end there. The next thing was the fact I could actually open the rusty door with the keys I had. With the air of familiarity I flicked my keys back into the pocket and shut the door behind myself. The lights flashed on blinding me for a moment and I winced blinking a bit and taking in the interior. A long corridor stretched before me, just like the one of the dead house, although this was a bit different - it had no doors at the sides, the lighting was steady and the hallway wasn't that long. It stretched until one door at the far end of it and that was where I was heading to, step by step,

click, click, and click

My footsteps echoed eerily in the hollow passage, making me believe there was another set of footsteps following me closely behind, however, when I turned, I saw no one. I started walking again, slightly bothered by, no, wait, my mind was screaming, throwing those infernal questions at me- _Why, How and What is happening?_

However something told me I'd get my answers soon enough.

I was both –afraid and curious of where my legs would take me, and indeed, they carried me somewhere bright.

A thick door separated me from my goal. A quick swipe of a keycard did the trick. I don't remember having such extras either. Ok what else is there that I don't know?

The door slid open and I was greeted by a wave of coolness first. Upon a further examination I determined that this was a sterile uninhabited cellar. Digital thermometer and psychrometer were situated at the nearest wall, reading that the temperature was four points above the freezing point and the humidity was a bit less than average, the pressure was intermediate. They must have been broken since the room was much warmer than 4 degrees Celsius, besides the air was dry and throat-parching. In the middle of the room there lay a large, white container, I had no idea what's in it, but it looked suspiciously like a sarcophagus of kinds or a cryogenic container from science fiction films. There were large tubes attached to the white tomb – as I chose to call it.

I went to the display on my left and dialed an eight digit code that made the white cover of the container slide open; I saw faint outlines of a body lying in the stomach of the glass tomb.

Nonchalantly I came closer gasping, since from my point of the view, it looked like I'd seen an angel. He looked so peaceful – so cold, yet alive, frost has never suited him better. My body loomed over so that I could take in Muraki Kazutaka in his full glory as mysterious as ever.

My fingers traced the cool surface of the glass. An unnoticed turn of a key card I didn't know I had, a sudden click and a moan of hydraulic press and the side of the glass slid open, cold fumes welling out of it and clinging to the ground. In close-up, his skin looked moist and undamaged, except for the stitches. He looked so alive I couldn't help but wonder if death itself wasn't keeping him this way for its own enjoyment. Tentatively my hand reached out to caress the pale cool cheek.

_I wonder who put you in here._

I leant closer to examine his face, when suddenly I glanced at my watch and the next thing I knew were my fingers parting his wet, cool lips, which still remained as soft as if he was alive. In sudden urgency I felt something coil in the pit of my stomach, as if seeking exit. This drove me to action. I bent his head back and pulled his jaw, being amazed by how well-preserved his body was – there was no stiffness in his limbs, his body was slightly damp

Another jolt of pain in me made me dub over, so I came in such close proximity of his lips, I could see the back of his throat. Quickly I covered the remaining inches and felt my lips colliding with the clammy and soft lips of the corpse.

My goodness! My insides turned while my senses registered his lips becoming warmer from my body heat.

Murakis mouth was void of taste. It was soft and cool. It would have been so much more pleasant if it belonged to a living person. I would have thrown up, if only my body hadn't gone into this rigid stance. I was paralyzed, frozen in place, my senses fully obedient to someone else.

Jesus! I felt something warm make its way down my throat, out of my mouth and seep into his parted lips. Something was clearly exiting me, leaving the cold emptiness and exhaustion behind. When I was void of the foreign body, mine trembled and slid to the ground until I was kneeling by the glass tomb so that I could still observe what was going on in the glass case.

At first, I thought nothing would happen, however I was wrong. I thought I was seeing things, however then I witnessed that his fingers convulsed, faintly at first, but then stronger and stronger, making the veins stick out and fingers clamp like birds talons. The strain however spread over his body, making him look like a person writhing in agony on his deathbed.

His eyes shot open, revealing shrunken pupils in a sea of silver. However they closed as quickly as they opened, and were now hidden by a frown of pure pain. His mouth was wide ajar and his body started shaking. The spasmodic tremor soon grew into harsh thrashing. Muraki was arching from his bed, hands beating futile against the glass case.

I felt like being a spectator of one of Dr Frankenstein's experiments; however I bet this doctor made an experiment out of himself.

Then it dawned on me, I realized that his insides were messed up after the autopsy and now there were no lungs to receive the breath he was struggling for. It was almost sad to see him like this.

The body arched again arms and legs beating wildly against interior of the container until I heard a soft pop, and finally a raspy, intake of breath that for some weird reason left me relieved, he's alive. The exhale consisted of fits of coughing. He quickly turned over, crouching on his fours and continued half retching, half coughing up lumps of black clotted blood, some fresh blood and viscose phlegm-like tissue. Another intake of breath was followed by a milder fit of coughing until it reduced to harsh breathing as if he'd just sprinted 10 miles.

I scoot to the far end of the room hoping he wouldn't spot me. His ivory skin reflected the white light making his form shimmer. He truly looked like an angel, resurrected, gleaming, and beautiful. Now I noticed that his stitched-up chest was bleeding slightly, skin ripping from the places it was held together with thread; however the surgical cuts themselves were now only faint lines of healed tissue. He bowed his head at me and wiped his blood-stained lips.

I thought I would faint, correction, I wanted to faint to get away from him, I was so afraid, I couldn't do anything constructive, like defend myself, for example.

All I wished was him leaving me alone, however he didn't. He stood up in his nude glory as I watched blood dribble slowly from the needle marks, living blood, but how is that possible?

He stepped out of his tomb and started approaching me. His first steps were shaky, but each next step increased in firmness. The only question on my mind was How?

Goodness, now he was in such close proximity, I could smell the tangy, sweet smell of blood in his breath. I turned my face away and felt a cold, sticky finger slide down my cheek, leaving a moist smear of blood in its way. I squeezed my eyes shut and with all my strength pushed his hand away.

-"Stop!"

* * *

A cliffhanger, sorry, but it is really too much and Im proud of the fact I could write this much right now, anyways Ill proceed with updating "My fair lady"and then there will be part two of this story, so be patient, and read taht story too, its less necro - like, besides, sorry for the necro content in this one, I hope it didnt get you all vomiting. 


	5. Sleeping beautly Part II

hello finally updated huh? Yeah its been a while, but the jobs been a hell too, OK announcement - Goodness, I ve never ever gotten such wonderful feedback, Thank You guys, truly, (Morality bows) That is why I literally whipped myself to get it done for you. 

(Morality pats her head) - Good girl. Hey who else is going to do this? 

Okies, have fun, 

Morality

* * *

Silence

-„Stop, please don't!"

Silence lingered. The vacuum of noise was killing me, the electrical buzzing of machinery and artificial lighting was growing so thick it lied heavily on my eardrums. Finally I summoned enough courage to open one eye. I gasped in shock; he was so close I could see the tiny blood vessels under the surface of his porcelain skin, I didn't dare looking him in the eye, afraid of what I d see there, so instead I settled for watching out for his hands, since they posed much more threat to me this moment.

With my sight I searched for the homicidal palms until I registered one of them lingering on my scalp, four fingers pressing tightly against the top of my head, the thumb being embedded against my temple and the base of the palm resting tightly against my forehead.

Everything happened so quickly.

A tight squeeze, a flash of light and now I was floating in the darkness of my own mind again. He knocked me out, the bastard, with a spell nothing less, dammit.

Steadily I felt returning of my perceptive functions such as touch. Indeed, I felt light on my skin, but not the warm rays of morning sun, but artificial, cold, light. It reminded me of Muraki for some reason – cold, pale. On the other hand he was nothing like cold or pale. He is passionate and vividly colored come to think of it. He's more like radioactive emission – you can't see the damage before it's too late, yeah, that's more like Muraki – A radioactive night lamp of rather a radioactive sun-studio, depends on how you see it.

I squinted, wincing at the invading rays of light.

I wanted to bring the hand to my eyes to shade them from the source of irritation, however something hindered my movements. I pulled my hand again and heard a metallic 'clink' of a restraint.

It took me several minutes to realize I was sitting in something like a surgical chair, my hands and feet were captured. I blinked trying to get accustomed to the bright light and tugged on the restraints again and again to brake free, but with little success. Then a shadow blocked the irritating rays from my view; however that didn't let me relax much.

-"I wouldn't do that if I were you, Mr. Tsuzuki." I just glared at him, trying to understand where I was. It seemed to be another section of the same lab I entered, however this place was less spacious, and more cozy-like, if you could say that about a lab with Muraki in it. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed an orange glowing glass container on a tray with something wiggling in it. It reminded me of a mini version of a lava lamp.

-"Muraki!" I growled giving my restraint another tug, again successfully getting another bruise. Instead of answering with his usual manner, he pulled a strand of hair out of my face and smiled at me almost adoringly, which made my skin crawl.

-"It's almost a shame to do this to you." Remembering his previous plans towards me, this statement didn't let me expect anything less.

-"Do what?!" He ignored me and went to a cabinet to fetch a syringe. A SYRINGE?! My eyes widened, goodness, I've always, always hated those. That gave me ground to continue squirming as I called on Suzaku mentally, who, by the way, didn't respond.

-"W-what the hell are you doing?!" He came closer, placing the awful thing right next to the flask with glowing stuff cautiously.

-"All in good time, Mr. Tsuzuki." He proceeded, pouring some transparent liquid onto the piece of ouate and supposedly disinfecting the needle. I gulped thickly trying to swallow the lump of primal fear that was threatening to choke me. I was deadly afraid of those things.

-"Mr. Tsuzuki, you'll hurt yourself if you continue thrashing like that. It's just a wee needle, I'm certain you've faced worse." He stated regarding me with sadistic enjoyment.

-"You damn bastard!" He seemed to grow bored, yes, _bored_ by my desperate display and continued his doings, cautiously piercing the tin lid of the flask with the needle and sucking the substance into the hollow tube where it continued swirling angrily as if disturbed. Was he truly?

-"Are you going to give me an injection?" I asked hoping he'd save that for somebody else.

-"Correct." He stated emotionlessly.

-"Why?" He turned smiling at me.

-"You're so charming, Mr. Tsuzuki." He started rolling my shirtsleeve up. Hey, where did my jacket go?

-"You didn't answer me!" I growled trying my best to hinder his actions. He released my forearm shaking his head in disapproval.

-"Mr. Tsuzuki, you do realize that I could simply knock you out and do everything I desire to your unconscious body?"

-"So you suppose that I should be grateful for this? Why did you bring me here? What do you want?" I was starting to panic. Muraki alone wasn't a treat but Muraki with hype was a nightmare come true.

-"No." He answered so seriously I stopped squirming for a moment. "I should be grateful for this, and I am." He bowed before me and now I was coming to a conclusion that this indeed was some bizarre nightmare. I giggled.

-"You're joking, right? This all is just some weird dream, and you're not real, and I'm not here either, so all I've got to do is wake up! R-right?" His expression had gotten so blank I decided that I should resume my attempts of braking free.

-"Let's put your theory to a test, shall we?" He leant closer holding the object of my greatest fears casually like one would hold a cigarette. "If what you say is true, then this shouldn't hurt a bit." He swung his hand, plunging the needle in my forearm. In the same moment I felt a pain pierce my left shoulder. I managed to 'eep' only since breath caught in my chest. As I turned my head, I saw the sight I dreaded the most. Terrified I watched how he pushed the dosimeter to the bottom slowly. I winced and gritted my teeth seeing how the amount of the orange substance lessened and I whimpered feeling the burning sensation of pain spread throughout my shoulder.

-"Why are you doing this?" He removed the needle more carefully than he'd inserted it, now rolling my shirtsleeve up with little resistance from my side since in that moment I was preoccupied with the growing amount of discomfort to notice him doing that. He took a piece of ouate once again and I smelt the disinfectant as he carefully rubbed the punctured place. I felt like crying this was unfair, unfair, unfair!

-"Why?" I whimpered becoming ill steadily, as if I had the beginnings of a fever of flu. My head felt like made of cotton wool, my limbs started aching and I felt my body temperature rise.

-"Forgive me, beloved, but I have to cover my tracks." He leant over me, tracing his cool fingers over my hot forehead, now they felt like a blessing.

-"Don't I . . . deserve an . . . . Explanation?" I managed saying, feeling quite weary.

-"Shh, save your strength." He stroked my cheek with a tenderness you might expect from a scientist who sees his favorite guinea pig finally dying.

-"Save your sympathy for someone else." I bit back. "Answer me dammit!"

-"Very well." He stated releasing me from my bonds, quite aware I shouldn't be able to move by now. He pushed something beneath the surgical chair and it lowered itself to a horizontal position. He seated me up, leaning my upper body against his, wrapping his arms around my waist and chest; otherwise I would have slipped down onto the floor. He sat right behind me, my neck arched back so that my nape rested in the crook of his neck. He nuzzled my throat, grazing it with his cool lips.

-"Why must you always struggle against me? Are my ministrations not to your liking? Your body told me otherwise." He blew a hot breath into my ear, making me shiver.

-"What would you know of my body?" I growled back.

-"Every intimate place, so warm and sweet, so tender and tempting. I took my time indulging in your delicious emotions; each and every of them so exquisite I couldn't sate myself."

-"W-what are you talking about?"

-"I see the serum has affected your ability to judge, otherwise I would have just called you ignorant."

-"Stop talking in riddles and answer me!"

-"Did you not feel different? Did you not feel trapped in your own body? Did you not feel like a puppet without your own will?"

-"You mean it was. . You?" He smiled at me so warmly; however his eyes stayed ice cold.

-"Finally you get it don't you? The oddities you experienced – the periods of time lost from your comprehension, the pleasures I let you indulge."

-"Made me!"

-"But you liked it in the end. Admit it, you loved every second, you craved other touch besides your own and I did my best to accommodate you."

-"But how?"

-"Mr. Tsuzuki, you will not remember our encounter unless I let you. There is no point of revealing my methods." He ran a hand through my damp hair, stroking me like some sick pet. "The parasite I injected in your body will sidetrack the attention – I daresay your friends suspected something, so that will take the blame for possessing you, although it will merely cause you great discomfort. I wouldn't like damaging you beyond repair now would I?"

- "You didn't answer my. . . Question."

-"Yes – death truly was an obstacle, wasn't it?"

-"Tell me!" He snorted.

-"Ah, it's not quite appropriate for a goodnight story, but if it entertains you." He laid me down, letting my head rest in his lap, facing him. However he continued stroking me and this touch felt oddly soothing. Yeah rest in your enemy's arms. "When you stabbed me, my body was damaged beyond repair. I was loosing the battle with time; I was in a wheelchair, my physical strength leaving me with each passing hour. I was done for. That is why I decided to take measures. I daresay that in the periods of my lethargic sleep into which I fell occasionally, I realized that my soul could exit the body. That was when I sought you out. You were perfect. I tried invading the bodies of other people and that was a success. I suppose you remember the case of a robbed morgue."

-"You did it?"

-"Yes, however taking just my body would cause suspicions, particularly from your department. But I sought out the bodies with caution – I had another plan up my sleeve, you see, my body shall be discovered – burnt beyond recognition – however there should be a pair of molten red earrings and a faked imprint of my teeth – the only way for the forensics to determine the identity. I must say I'll miss that piece of jewelry, but, alas, life is a cruel mistress." I looked at him bewildered.

-"You sought out the bodies that would suit your own body the best? And then faked the only clues which would lead to believe that it was indeed your body?" He smiled at me gleefully. I couldn't deny the fact that this was, smart of him, truly. Not like I'd say that loud.

-"Yes, but I daresay that I wasn't certain of the outcome of my trifling until this very moment. I was unsure if my body would still accept me after a longer period of separation. However I had no choice and no time. I injected a near lethal dose of glucose into my body to prevent the damage of the tissue, in case if I was put into a dead house freezer. However I didn't expect them doing an autopsy. That's where you come in, my dear Mr. Tsuzuki. Your body accepted me perfectly as if it was waiting for me to come. I was most pleased that you didn't struggle much and were so good and obedient. Still, your generosity didn't end there. I realized that I could inherit some of your restorative powers, thanks to which my body could accept me back and heal itself. "

I stirred and whimpered, feeling the parasite battle with my immune system for control. That made my body shiver violently like from malaria fever.

Muraki just wrapped me into a sheet and cradled me close like one of his dolls or a prized possession. He continued stroking my head that made me sleepy and murmured something. My eyelids felt heavy and I was tired. I listened to a lullaby of his soothing words that I couldn't make out anymore, darkness swallowed me ravenously.

_-"I'll make sure to make this up to you."_

Darkness

Voices

More voices.

-"Oi, hang in there lad!" I opened my eyes briefly seeing surgical light, but my eyelids slipped back shut. I felt something inserted into my throat – some long tube that made its way right into my stomach. While a pair of hands was rocking me back and forth as much as I could understand. I heard someone sobbing and somebody else shouting to get him away. The rocking became worse as I felt a large lump of something making its way through my throat. I choked and bolted up quickly being yanked to the side as I felt my gullet tear and my windpipe crush, I gagged and convulsed as the tube tugged at the lump and I was suffocating.

-"Stay with us, Tsu! Tatsumi, hold him down, it's coming, it's coming, keep that serum up and get your potions ready.!"

I felt something inappropriately large exiting my mouth and in the meantime pressing my jaws wide open so I felt the blood trickle down the corners of my mouth – my lips and cheeks were tearing.

-"Hold it! Dammit, it's gonna slip back inside! No, don't let it!" I heard a hiss and my head was being yanked from the side to the side violently, I heard Watari yell and swear as the lump was torn forcefully out of my mouth so I could breath normally again.

I didn't care that my face was smeared with blood and salvia and some sticky string like phlegm, I just fell back and breathed, however a commotion that continued in the room drew my attention. There was something dark and slimy clinging to Wataris hand, no actually it hung from the place where his hand should have been. It was glistening and I could see the clawing little extremities as it slashed through the air and tore at Wataris wrist. He was screaming on top of his lungs. Then a pair of orange eyes flicked open on its . . . back? It was difficult to tell where its back or front was, but granted that the front should have been where the mouth was, it was the back. It released a head splitting screech and fell off of Wataris wrist, luckily his hand was still attached. Now it sort of hopped towards me, poorly developed appendages I dared calling legs failing to support it from time to time and slipping on the tiled floor of the hospital room – it resembled a tadpole mutant. I felt my insides stir – gosh it looked hideous, hideous and unnaturally interested in my person.

-"Don't let it near him!"

It was fully intending to get to me when one shadow pierced through it and another cut it's head off, splashing the orange 'blood' all over the floor. Watari quickly poured some emerald liquid on the remains of the creature. Its body twitched and the head released gurgling sounds as it steadily crumbled to dust.

Wataris hand was oozing blood and some vile –looking liquid. He poured the same emerald substance over his hand and winced, as his wounds started bubbling and producing more of the sickly liquid. Never the less, he looked up at me and smiled.

-"I told you something was wrong with him." Tatsumi didn't answer; he was paler than a sheet and seemed to be on verge of fainting. Hisoka was vomiting steadily into one of Wataris drawers.

-"Um, Watari, your arm." The scientist smiled at me merrily.

-"Never mind that, I disinfected it already; however I'm more curious of how you're doing. It was a pretty big one, wonder where you'd picked up that."

-"Picked up what?" I blinked at him.

-"Aww, he's clueless." Watari cooed. "That bloody thing that nearly bit my hand off!"

-"I don't know."

-"C'mon, you should have felt at least something, I mean, when they're this old; they're quite easy to notice, meaning, they're no peaceful dwellers."

-"What do you mean?" I blinked feeling dumb.

-"Well, that thing was a demon larva. There are such rare species of demon that let their young develop in spiritual beings. Such as us."

-"You mean that came from me?"

-"Came isn't the right word to describe it. You were missing for several days so we went to look for you and Hisoka delivered you back with this thing sitting inside you. We've been trying to get it out for the most part of the night." Only now I noticed how tired they all looked.

-"Oh, I'm sorry."

-"There's nothing to be sorry about. Tsu, it's alright, things happen. Now I want you to wash up and have some good rest. We'll seal this room for time being, you'll get to sleep in another place." I gulped once or twice to make sure my gullet was healed.

-"Ok, but are you sure you're ok? I mean your hand is still festering." Watari pulled a nasty facial expression.

-"Let's better not talk about that. Hey, BON, those are rare files! Stop throwing up over them, Sokaaaa!" Wataris distress actually made the atmosphere much more pleasant. Whether it was the way he was chiding the dizzy Hisoka or his choice of words.

-"Here," he stated when I was about to walk inside the bathroom. "Wash with those and tell me how you feel afterwards. Besides I'll take any noises you do there as a signal of something being wrong." I smiled at him and took all the jars of stuff with me. To my utter amazement they didn't stink like before although they looked quite the same, and they didn't burn once I placed them onto my skin. They had a rather cooling effect. I washed and dried off. I walked outside the bathroom seeing the scientist ready to pounce at me.

-"It was quite alright, Watari, in fact those things, do they have menthol in them?" He shook his head but said that once I felt like that nothing was wrong with me.

-"Thanks, that's a relief." I stated and took off to my room where Tatsumi was waiting. He looked a bit better than in the hospital room, but he still seemed shaken a bit.

-"Are you fine, Asato?" I couldn't help but smile at him. He used my first name.

-"Yeah, a bit tired though." I sighed and yawned. "Besides you should also get some rest, meaning, you've been trough a treadmill. I want you to lie down and get some well deserved sleep, Tatsumi." I state in a commanding tone. He just smiles at me – the tired wistful smile I just loved seeing – it made him look so much gentler, vulnerable. He stood up and pushed me down onto the bed, covering me with blankets.

-"Don't worry about it, sleep. I'll be here in case if you need anything." I cuddle into my covers, rolling to the side so that I could see him. Honestly – with Tatsumi around I knew that everything would be ok, no matter what happened. I think if world turned on it's axis and Tatsumi was with me, everything would be alright.

-"Night and thanks Seii, you saved me after all." His expression was confusing, I really didn't know what to think of it, therefore I shut my eyes and let the sleep speak for me.

* * *

Ok right now were getting a heavy downpour, Im dying my hair and poor Tsuzuki is sleeping away, Besides, Mr Tatsumi is actually dozing in that chair and is gonna fall off of it soon, but that will not hinder our sleeping guardian of death. :P 

(Muraki) (Wacks Morality on the head with a newspaper.) 

(Morality ) - "Heyy, watch it will you?" 

(Muraki) (Whacks Morality again) - "OOps my bad." 

(Morality) - 'Youre doing this on purpose arent you? 

(Murakii) (Stops in the middle of another blow) -"Hmm, will you believe me if I said no?" 

(Morality) - "Youre seriously sick." 

(Muraki) - "No, the censorial restrictions didnt allow me using the dagger, so Im employing a newspaper insetead." 


	6. Reconaissance

Heyas, sorry it took so damn long, but hey, I submitted it a day after Ireturned from my 10 day long voyage to Berlin - a great city, by the way. I hope you enjoy this chappie 

Deine von Berlin, 

Morality

* * *

When I woke up, I saw Tatsumi asleep in the chair. I sighed happily seeing him, he slept pouting a bit and his head was tilted to the side. I stood up quietly and laid him in the bed I had previously occupied. I wanted to meet Watari and I wanted Tatsumi to rest. I crept outside the infirmary and slid the door shut. I wandered into Wataris seeing the scientist still preoccupied – the lab smelt of coffee and his injured hand rested under layers of bandages.

-"Watari?"

-"Hey Tsu, wait, shouldn't you be sleeping?"

-"I woke up and couldn't sleep anymore. How's your hand doing?"

-"So, so, hasn't stopped festering, so I decided to check what the heck was wrong with the thing we got from you earlier."

-"It must have been poisonous."

-"Yeah, that's what I though at first, but, alas I would have been happy if it was just poison."

-"What is it then?"

-"Acid."

-"What? This means, gosh, Watari, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry I put you through this."

-"Oh cut it out will you?"

-"But, but your hand is being dissolved as we speak!" I stated oddly

-"Listen, we're shinigami, right? We can restore ourselves."

-"Yes, but still, your hand doesn't look like its healing."

-"Yes it is, if it wasn't I'd have been missing half of it, but now the acid is dissolving the tissue and it restores and this will continue until the acid will stop reacting, understand?"

-"This means you'll get better?"

-"Yes, gradually."

-"Gosh, you were so brave to tear that thing out, even when it bit you! And Soka and Tatsumi too, I don't know what I'd do without you guys." I hugged him.

Several days later Watari caught up with me, while grinning like an idiot, his blonde hair flying in disarray.

-"We found him! We found him!" I looked at him dumbstruck,

-"Sorry, have I missed something?"

-"No, no, silly, not at all!" The scientist now looked positively hyper waving some papers before my nose.

-"So who is it that you're talking about?" I took several cautious steps back before Watari knocked me out with the file he was waving.

-"Muraki, we found his body!" I had to admit that this made my stomach jolt.

-"Y-you did?" I asked curiously, some part of me not believing it.

-"Yeah, barbecued better than a holiday roast!"

-"You mean it was burnt?"

-"To cinders, all that's left of him were the earrings and the tooth print that we got from his dentist – the plugs corresponded, in fact – he had a few fake teeth." Like that was the most important information I had to know.

-"So his case is closed?"

-"Technically yes, but his soul is still somewhere out there maybe consumed by a minor demon, maybe still causing trouble, and if so, we're going to hear from him quite soon."

-"Yeah." I shuddered, I wonder what he's up to now, if he is, isn't he? He must be.

And we waited, month after month, until everybody forgot, or a least I thought they did. Things came, new cases, new people and everything went on well, the mysterious disappearance of Murakis soul seemed to sit comfortably with everyone here, even Hisoka. I for some reason couldn't find peace, this long absence, this oddity, it was so unlike him. Well as much as I could tell, I expected him to pop out from any corner like some twisted magician and start doing the bloody slaughter trick again, but that didn't seem to happen, nothing happened, my paranoia grew.

After a year of stress, everything seemed to settle down; I grew used to the idea of Muraki being really dead and grew closer with Tatsumi, in a way; well, not in an intimate way, but still, gentler. We had dinners together and he didn't charge me tons for it like before, he actually seemed to enjoy my company. Hisoka was prickly as always, but also so protective, that I got all confused several times, but I knew that he needed more time to open up. So I coped with his prickliness and I could say for one that I was happy most of the times when I wasn't sad, burdened by taking lives and paranoid about Muraki, yeah, life seemed good.

That was until one day, I was alone on mission, and I had this paranoia fit again. I thought I heard his voice, saw a glint of his suit or hair every now and then, as I went through a busy street. That made me jumpy and I bumped into grumbling commuters and a tourist, who started ranting loudly in Italian, sending curses at my back all the way down the street until I rounded a corner. I felt like a pinball in my state of agitation, I thought I'd seen an angel, who pretty damn looked like Muraki, and, Oh joy, I'd bumped into him too. Everything froze and I looked at him like a to-be road kill.

-"Muraki!" I started backing away from him. He just gave an expression of utter loss and shifted my way.

-"Sir, wait, don't do that." He reached an arm out for me and I retreated even more, goodness. He acted like if nothing had happened, I bet he thought it was funny.

-"S-stay away from me, you were supposed to be dead!" Why here? Why now? His reactions were quite inadequate, meaning, Muraki would have exposed his identity sooner, but this man acted like if he had seen me the first time in his life.

-"Look out, behind you!" I heard beeping and the screech of tires on the road surface, I whipped around only to be sent back flying by a steel truck bumper. A pinball indeed. I felt myself landing several meters further and feeling my scull crack, warm liquid spread around my head and I coughed some of it up. The last thing I saw was an angel, the last thing I hard – were screams of terror. Still. My consciousness lingered for some reason; I saw a blur of red and blue lights and a muted ambulance siren. My body was examined briefly and lifted swiftly onto the litter. Half conscious I heard voices saying that it was a miracle I had survived; more voices jus hurt my head. I needed a nap.

Beep,

Beep,

Beep,

Something pulled me out of my doze by constant beeping. I shifted and moaned, feeling my limbs so damn sore. I opened my eyes and attempted to comprehend where I was. I saw Muarki, this, this means I'm, in a …Where am I? I bolted up but was stopped in mid way by a worried-looking young nurse who said I had to stay calm and not move because I've suffered major injuries.

-"I'll heal." I groaned and continued my way up, but the woman refused to let go and said that if I will not stay calm, they'll tie me to the bed.

-"What? You have no rights of doing this to me!" She just sighed and said that I was for my best to lie down. Didn't she know Tatsumi would be upset by me using up our funds for such nonsense? The nurse said something about a visitor, and I gulped, gosh, it must be Tatsumi or Soka, or both and they would definitely be mad at me. The nurse opened the door and talked in a hushed tone with someone else I couldn't see. Then she said the visitor had 10 minutes and let him in. I was about to say "Sorry Tatsumi" when I saw the same man that caused me to freak out. I wanted to run and jump out of the window, but all I managed saying was a little squeak. The man said hello and apologetically placed a neat bouquet of daffodils on my night table. No roses thank goodness. I took my liberty of staying silent while he rummaged through the night table in search of a glass to put them in. We stayed silent until he returned and put the flowers into the glass of water. Then he pulled a chair to my bedside and sat down. He looked uneasy and, well, young, and, he had two eyes, unlike Muraki, two normal-looking eyes, except for their color, and his skin had a light golden tan – so very light that it seemed to be nothing more than a pale golden glow of his skin. And he wore his hair in a different fashion. Genuinely he looked like a younger, tense version of Muraki, and yet, there was something about him that I couldn't put my finger on.

-"Khem." He cleared his throat, pulling me back to reality. "I, I came to apologize for startling you." I almost laughed out at this but decided to play along anyway.

-"Oh, no, nothing to worry about." I said indulgently and saw a bit of tension leave his features.

-"The doctors said it was a miracle you survived, I'm really sorry, I mean, people sometimes act inadequately around me, but I never expected this would happen." I blinked at him in utter shock – Muraki being sorry? Good act though.

-"Don't worry it's not your fault after all."

-"Yes, but still, you got hurt, I, well, I wanted to make it up to you." He stated fidgeting, God he looked like a boy, barely out of his teens. "And you called that name. It started with 'M'. Murky, or something like that." He stated in such tone as if it would help me.

-"Yes, it appears I had mistaken you by someone else." He blinked and looked at me.

-"You mean that I wasn't the only person you've seen like this?" He was positively radiant.

-"Yes, so it seems." I responded regarding him skeptically.

-"Where have you met this person? Do you know this person?" He asked with such vitality I almost fell over, definitely – if this indeed was Muraki, he put a really good act.

-"He's dead." I responded without a slightest bit of regret. The young man settled down, his joy passing as quickly as summer storm.

-"I'm sorry I disturbed you." The man stated and stood up. "I hope you liked the flowers though." He attempted to smile even though I could tell he was sad. He reminded me of none other than myself

-"It's ok, I didn't expect visitors, thank you for coming." He seemed to brighten up though from my last statement and got up.

-"Well, it seems that my 10 minutes are up." He stated not without a tone of regret, such as if I was the most interesting company he'd ever come across.

-"Wait." I said. "What's your name?" I could see a tinge of rose across his cheeks, he was obviously blushing. God, he looked adorable. His blush deepened and he gulped.

-"My name's Adrian." We shook hands. His handshake was warm, firm and dry, actually.

-"Tsuzuki." I replied. I took notice of the fact how delicate his hands felt – with long, slender fingers.

-"It's a shame we met like this." He stated but still gave me a smile. "Um, you wouldn't mind if I came for visit tomorrow, would you?" He asked anxiously.

-"Not at all." I stated and returned his smile. The nurse entered and ushered him outside, then she gave me some pills that I gulped without looking and left me to lay alone.

This left me in turmoil. It's him, and yet it isn't and some deeper part of me wanted to see him again. This youth seemed to be everything Muraki could have been. I settled in my covers to think some more. Tomorrow I might see him again, and then again, I might not. And if this happened to be someone else, not Muraki, then who was it? Judging by the looks, they definitely were related. Adrian, huh ... Just a name might be a fake and might be real. One was for sure, his innocent behavior woke up something deep and dangerous in me, that seemed to be dormant for the last 80 years. Something that made me want to ravage the young man, to tear him apart, to mark him as mine. I shuddered at my own thoughts. Definitely, he perceived me like his peer, if he truly was the one he claimed to be.

* * *

Ok, wait patiently for the next chappie, byes, I just hope this wasnt all that bad. 


	7. Attracted by silver

hey guys sorry for the long absence but I was kinda caught up in other stuff- lots of it - like a proejct for my academy where I have to make a movie of the notorious Scrat. Anyways I hope you like thsi chapter It has taken a very long time to write, because I happened to start from teh point which will not appear in this chapter, but in the next one. 

Pretty miserable nuh? 

Yours in all sincerity, 

Morality.

* * *

I got another visit that day – and this time I wasn't mistaken, it was Soka and Tatsumi, and Watari.

-"Uh, hey guys, sorry about this." Watari said they had been looking for me for a long time until they read a news article about me – _**"The person who lived**_." and that I should be more careful, Soka just said I had just made an excuse to lazy around for no reason, mind you I was hit by a truck and those were some 6 tons of reasons to stay in bed. Tatsumi was unreadable, though I could tell that pity for me was battling fiercely with the little accountant in his head who was doubtlessly already calculating the amount of losses I'd make. Watari suggested busting me out of the hospital. Hisoka noticed a bouquet of daffodils and asked who it was from.

-"Just some eyewitness, who happened to be more caring than the others. He came by and left this, nothing more though." Watari and Tatsumi exchanged meaningful glances.

-"Tsu, listen, don't get involved, k? Meanin." I rolled my eyes.

-"Yeah, Watari I know all about our regalement, of course I won't." I saw he nurse poke her head in and say that it was time for my shots and I yelped, looking at them pleadingly.

-"Please, guys, bust me out, I don't want any shots!"

-"I'm sorry, Tsuzuki, but our regalement doesn't allow erasing people's memories for such a minor reason. We'll get you out of here in matter of days." Tatsumi stated reassuringly squeezing my shoulder.

-"Days! Tatsumi, please, I don't want to stay here longer than this, I m perfectly fine, see?" I used my puppy eyes I even cried a bit and whimpered, but nothing helped. They left me huffing and alone in my room.

Moments later the nurse came in carrying a syringe, no, it wasn't _a_ syringe, it was THE syringe, and it was big. I popped my puppy stare and looked at her pleadingly per chance she changed her mind, but she was under impression that I couldn't possibly survive without this oh so lifesaving shot. She was a woman in her best years, so to say, with a build of a skilled lumberjack. She must have had a lot of experience in dealing with such shot haters as myself. She smiled at me warmly, saying that "No need to worry, dear, it's just a wee needle."

Easy for her to say, cautiously, I extended my arm in her direction and she laughed at me, putting the syringe on the table and turning me onto my stomach so quickly I barely managed to squeak.

-"Wha?" But I couldn't finish as my hospital gown was hauled up exposing my bum. I blushed beat red as she rubbed the spot she was about to puncture with a disinfectant and plunged the needle into the poor muscle.

-"Ow, ow, ow." I whimpered as she removed the needle swiftly and ordered my gown again, patting my now throbbing buttock.

-"Wasn't all that bad was it?" She asked giving my butt a little pitch. I couldn't help but think she was growing fond of it.

-"Uh, as long as I don't have to go through this again."

-"Not today, dear. This is something you get in the evening. Now you lay on your stomach for a while." She walked out of my room and I groaned into the pillow. Great, simply perfect.

I slept soundly, except for that nightmare where I as chased around by a mob of nurses who wanted to puncture every bit of my skin, and was woken up at 7 am to take my blood sample, which I did with no qualms, since I had endured worse things even in my dreams. This nurse was much younger and more timid, so I suspected she'd just graduated medical school. I didn't make it more difficult for her as it was. She seemed to hesitate before taking my blood, which I found endearing. I smiled at her brightly and said it was ok. She seemed to be relieved by that and finally did what she had to. To be honest, I was just so sleepy I wanted to go straight back to bed.

After one o clock and an icky portion of hospital food I sat brooding at my possible roots of escape when the nurse said I had a visitor. My heart skipped a beat in anticipation and I wasn't wrong.

-"Good afternoon." Adrian stated in his gentle voice and gave me a little smile. "Are you feeling better?"

I returned his smile and said that I had been fine to begin with. He took a seat at my bed and observed me for some time.

-"Is there something wrong?" I asked feeling uneasy with him just staring at me. He seemed to step out of his daze.

-"Sorry, I was just. . "He seemed to struggle to find the correct words. "Do you wear contacts?"

-"Wear what?" I asked him pretty unsure of what that was.

-"Contact lenses – you know things that go into your eyes to let you see better?" He explained.

-"No, I don't." he took a closer look at me.

-"You have an unusual eye color." He stated. "So I figured . . . "

-"You have a pretty unusual eye color yourself don't you?" He seemed to be embarrassed by this, so I added. "It suits you." His cheeks tinged rose and he smiled at me.

-"You really think so? I usually say I'm wearing contacts and dying my hair so that people wouldn't think I'm odd." Now he truly reminded me of my younger self, along with this, I felt like I wanted to protect him, so he wouldn't suffer like I did.

-"I can understand that. You know, when I was little, I was taunted pretty badly for my eyes." He looked at me baffled.

-"But they are beautiful." He interjected blushing immediately for what he said.

-"So are you, but that doesn't change the attitude, you know." I bit my lip, I felt that we would sail into very dangerous waters if we continued; he seemed to take the hint as well.

-"So what do you do for a living?" He was the first to ask.

-"I. . " I wasn't expecting such a question. "I work for the government." I replied. It wasn't all too untrue either. "And you?"

-"I'm playing piano." He replied, "I play on order. But technically I'm working for the 'Mont Blanc'."

-"Gee, that's a fancy place, you must be really good."

-"I'm doing my best." He shrugged and glanced at his watch. "Oh, our time is almost up. Here, I thought it must be lonely sitting here all the time." He handed me a small parcel and stood up. "I'll see you tomorrow then."

-"Yes, see ya." He left and I looked at the parcel – its shape was that of a book. I unwrapped it, and it was a box of chocolates. How did he know?

That really made my day, or the rest of it. The evening brought the killer-nurse though, who just loved groping me .. _Khem_, inspecting, _khem_, professionally speaking.

Speaking of stalking, the thought of Adrian/Muraki lingered in my mind. He acted so earnest, so natural and unlike the pale doctor I met. Well, not cold regarding my person, but ruthless nonetheless.

This had to end now – The fact was – Muraki was dead – his body was found so this couldn't be him. But who was this man. Now I noticed that he wasn't that young as I though before. He definitely wasn't a teen; he could have been in his twenties. But his behavior around me still made me think he felt uneasy around me, so, why did he come? I pondered on asking him this, but I didn't want to upset him either – it was so nice to be cared for. I stretched in my covers. One more day. I need to decide whether to carry on with him or not. He doubtlessly seemed sweet, but our regalement . . . .

The answer came itself the next day. I was packing when Adrian came to visit me again.

-"Oh hey there, sorry I didn't warn you yesterday." He examined me.

-"It's alright. So, they're releasing you?"

-"Yeah, couldn't find what was wrong with me anyway." I smiled at him, "Thanks for your gift, it was great."

-"I'm glad you liked it. I wanted to, well. I'm having dress rehearsal and I wanted to know if you'd like to come." Before I could answer, he handed me a piece of paper. "I'll be waiting outside, don't be late." He whispered dangerously close to my ear and left. I felt shivers run over my skin and they weren't caused by cold or fear.

I just stood there and moments later Hisoka appeared in the doors and glared at me irritated.

-"Are you fantasizing about another restaurant? Oh no you don't, we're late as it is!"

I noticed myself being dragged through the halls of hospital and into the bright daylight, then to Meifu where I was forced to face mountains of paperwork. In the end of the day, I found a crumpled piece of paper in my pocket – I pulled it out and there – in neat writing stood.

_Dear Asato,_

_I'll be waiting you at the back door of the Mont Blanc._

_Next Monday, 18:30,_

_Don't be late,_

_Regards,_

_Adrian._

I smiled – for his attachment to me. It was so confusing I leaned against the table and stared at the paper for some time.

_Don't get involved._

But it's just a rehearsal, I'll leave a nice bouquet for him with my compliments and that's all. Well, that s the way I could get rid of him. I hated this tactic really, why couldn't I get involved, meaning, hey, it's not like he knows what I am.

I sighed again. I might just do nothing and just see what happens. I sighed – not a bad tactic.

The reminder of Wednesday passed busily.

**Thursday** morning was overcrowded and I ended up dragging my sore butt back home.

**Friday** – finally the last day, however it was spoilt when Tatsumi said I'd have to work on Saturday too.

**Saturday **– got to work late, only to arrive and see Tatsumi frowning at me, honestly did this man take brakes at all?

**Sunday** – got drunk in the morning and went on boozing until the dusk.

**Sunday/Monday**- Phoned Tatsumi to make sure he woke up on time Approximately 1 AM. Passed out and woke up at 7 thanks to Tatsumi who'd listened to his answering machine and deducted that today I wouldn't be too keen on waking up.

-"Tsuzuki, you idiot, you have been drinking again."

-"No you're just seeing things." God my head hurt.

-"Yeah? So why are you wearing the outfit you've worn on Friday?"

-"Hello, that's the only outfit I have!" I clutched my head more.

-"Then why are you having a hangover right now then hmm?"

-"It's not a hangover, just a headache." I argued back until Tatsumi came in and said we had a new case.

By the end of my work day I felt as if I'd been wrestling grizzly bears around the clock. We had a particularly nasty demon case. Not to say it was difficult – no, we had little to the non brain power use, just mainly dodging the attacks and finally silencing the storming critters. When I was finally about to drag my sore body home, I saw a crumpled piece of paper fall out of my pocket. I lifted it and opened it up before disposing of it.

Holy mackerel! Adrian's invitation! If I'll teleport, I might just get in time. I looked at my shabby attire and sighed – no time to change, even if I had anything.

Within 10 minutes I got to the appointed place. I rounded a corner to see the young man pacing the alley nervously. I cleared my throat gently and put on a smile. He looked positively radiant when he saw me.

-"Evening, I didn't think you'd make it, I'm so glad you came." He beamed at me.

-"Uh, sorry, the work has been quite rough." I ordered a torn lapel of my coat, damn, hadn't noticed that one.

-"I see." He said giving my attire another look. "My, you look like you've just left a battle field."

-"Wasn't far from that." I sighed.

-"Oh, you didn't have time to change, you poor thing." He didn't know how right he was, especially about that poor part.

-"Uh . ."

-"But its fine, the most important thing is that you're here." He took me by the hand and led me inside, through a streak of darkness, several landings up the staircase, through the door and into a private balcony just beside the lighting facilities.

-"Sorry, it's the staff only balcony, but Charlie knows you'll be here."

-"Its ok, thank you for the invitation."

-"Oh, I must be going now." He glanced at the watch.

-"Um, Adrian?"

-"Yes?"

-"Good luck."

-"I don't need any once you're here." He left me baffled once again and I stared at his back disappearing in the staircase. Soon the person whom I presumed was Charlie, came in and started ordering the lights. I peeked over the edge of the balcony to see a little stage where a piano stood. Soon Adrian came out, but not timidly, he looked so natural in spotlight – his steps were light and determined, his body language told he as absolutely relaxed. He gave an elegant bow to the public and a little glance to where I sat. He took a seat behind the piano and begun.

The first piece was that of Libertango – a sensuous and rapid melody that made ones heart race.

The second piece was unknown to me, but I liked it anyway.

The third was definitely a work of Sergey Prokofiev – _I Capuleti e i Montecchi- _piano adaptation.

That was followed by several jazzy pieces which sounded all the same for me so I settled for watching the surroundings. Mont Blanc seemed to be a cabaret club faithful to western style. I sighed and started twirling the velvet upholstery of the chair I was sitting in. It was a shame to play Prokofievs masterpieces here. Adrian stood up, bowed and left the stage. The piano was rolled to the side giving place to more suiting occupants – such as feather and glitter covered, women who performed Can Can.

I sighed and put my chin onto the brim of the balcony. I so wanted to sleep and the women on the stage didn't quite hold my interest. Then again who would have thought I would have been spending my evening in a place like this. I sighed and felt a hand on my shoulder.

-"You must be tired; I shouldn't have dragged you here." Said Adrian sadly.

-"No, not at all, I was glad to hear it; it has been a while since I've heard such a good performance. You play really well, and I liked the Prokofievs piece a lot."

-"It's one of my favorites too." He sighed wistfully.

-"Have you tried going for the western theatre?"

-"No, not yet."

-"Well, you should, please don't take it as an offence, but such music should be played somewhere where if would be appreciated." He laughed at me softly.

-"I know, but recommendations don't write themselves, you know. Would you like to stay and watch some more?"

-"Um, you know, don't take it as an offence, but no." I replied apologetically but he didn't seem to be worried by it at all.

-"It's fine with me really." We went off chattering about this and that down the staircase and into the cloak room. He took his coat and we walked outside.

-"Which way?" He asked.

-"Oh." I stuttered. How do you say that you have no apartment? "I like taking walks." I stated.

-"May I take one with you?" I looked at him curiously. "For safety." He stated. "Two men are more than one."

I couldn't disagree; furthermore, I had this prickly sensation on my back of being watched. The worse part was that I couldn't get rid of this sensation as we walked on, but I didn't hear any steps or anyone following us. I turned around once or twice, but there still was nothing. I kept on glancing back until I bumped into Adrian's back. I heard him mumbling faintly.

-"Um, sorry, did you say something?" Then I noticed that he was standing quite still.

-"There, in the dark." He showed to an unlit part of an alley. "I think there is something moving there." I looked more carefully and saw a couple of yellowish glowing eyes. Shit, not the best place and auditory. I grabbed into my pocket and found that some fouda were still there.

-"Here, hold this." I gave him a piece of paper. He took it with no qualms, looking at me speculatingly. "Just hold it." I yelled and dived into the darkness.

I searched the perimeter but found no sign of our follower, it was only when I turned around that I saw it. A giant two-tailed feline was circling the border of the barrier impatiently. Adrian on the other had had backed up against the wall and wore no expression at all.

-"Hey, back off of him!" The creature growled at me and lunged forward. I dodged and threw a fouda at it. It disappeared out of my sight and I looked around nervously. I could definitely feel its presence, but where?

-"Behind you!" Adrian yelled and I felt several sharp fangs sinking into my shoulder.

-"You damn thing." I growled and felt the fangs sinking in deeper, warm liquid spread over my shoulder and splashed out of my wounds, now I felt four claws sinking into my back and fangs tearing straps of clothes and flesh off of my shoulder. God it's going to devour me. I tried my best to get free, but I was failing miserably. To fall for such a minor thing it was laughable.

Suddenly I heard a dull hit, as if hitting a bag of sand with a plank, the feline stopped and I heard it again. The creature growled and released my shoulder. Dropping me on the ground it spun around and faintly I saw Adrian holding a piece of a pipe and opposing the creature.

-"Adrian, Dont!" I dragged my aching limbs up. I would not let anyone else die because of me. "Take cover!" I yelled and took stance for summoning Suzaku.

-"To thee I pray 12 gods. I beseech ye, let the foul creature perish! Suzaku, Explode!"

The phoenix flapped its wings once and the feline was gone. She circled me to see if I'm fine.

-"Thanks, Suzaku." She gave a screech and disappeared. I felt a bit better and attempted walking. Cautiously I glanced around to find Adrian, but he w as nowhere in sight.

-"Adrian! Adrian!" I called but he was gone. I needed to find him.

Once I felt healed enough I broke into a run looking around frantically, God I hope I didn't turn him into ashes by summoning Suzaku.

-"Adrian!" I called again and saw a figure in distance, crouching on the ground and holding its knees close. When I came closer I saw it was him alright. He was holding hands over his ears and his eyes were tightly shut. Good God, it's not a common sight for a mortal though.

-"Adrian, are you hurt?" I kneeled before him. His eyes opened and he stared at me in disbelief. "Are you ok, do you hear me? Adrian?" He just lunged at me and held to me tight. His hands clutched what was left of my coat, otherwise he stayed still. I hugged him back as a reflexive action and rubbed his shoulder.

-"Is it gone?"

-"Yes, it is."

-"Where did that flame come from, it looked like hellfire."

-"There, there, it's ok."

-"No it's not ok, you're hurt." He replied bitterly.

-"I'm fine."

-"It, it almost tore you to bits." He sobbed.

-"Yes, but I'm fine now. All thanks to you." I pulled him back so that he could get a look of my now bare but healed shoulder. His sight lingered there as if he was trying to break a spell or something. He looked at me.

-"…" Those two innocent silver eyes glistened in the dim light of the alley.

-"Come, let's go now."

-"Uh-oh." He stood up wobbly and followed me obediently as I turned to lead the way.

-"You know, I never thought I'd find you this far from the place, meaning, you must have really run as if your life depended on it." I waited patiently for some response from his side but I heard none, however I did hear a thud.

I turned around to see him lying on the ground. Gosh! The poor guy's passed out cold.

* * *

(Morality) - "I tell you, dont get fooled, DONT !!!" 

(Muraki) /whacks Morality on the head and she passes out cold/ -"Oh never mind her, shes just had too much paste recently." 

(Morality) /is bing dragged into a dim lit corner/ 


End file.
